By Maimuna Sey-Jawo
The Medical Research Council The Gambia, (MRCG) recently started a research programme investigating placental disorders and their risk factors. The programme is underway at the Farafenni Hospital.
A placental disease is any disease, disorder, or pathology of the placenta.
The two year project seeks to develop solutions to improve maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the MRCG officials, the study will target three health centres in North Bank Region. The project is mainly for pregnant women and women of child bearing age.
Dr Ogochukwu Ofordile, the coordinator of the project, said the study will look at three complications of pregnancy including high blood pressure and babies that die after and before birth.
“The project is targeting 2000 pregnant women aged 16-49 and 300 non pregnant women aged 18-49 to collect data from them and sample including blood and sample of death canal.”
The director of operations at MRCG, Joan Vivestomas, said the project is here to support save lives of women and children.
Pierre Gomez, data supervisor at Farafenni Hospital, said placental disorders and their risk factors have caused thousands of deaths to women of child bearing age including millions of children of the sub- region, where The Gambia is no exception.
“For this study to succeed in women and children’s health, we need a collaborative effort which we should all initiate with our collaborators and by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and or Regional Health Directorate (rch AND Farafenni General Hospital managments). This effort seeks to draw lessons from high-performing countries on accelerating progress towards reducing preventable maternal and child mortality,” he stated.
The Governor of North Bank Region, Ebrima Dampha, thanked MRCG for the project saying health should be a top priority for any developing community.
